Pile coupling and method of pile driving

ABSTRACT

The specification discloses novel means for coupling sections of pile and a novel method of driving pile utilizing thin-wall composite pile section. The coupling comprises a thin-wall sleeve with a telescoping thick-wall ring or collar mechanically anchored within the sleeve. Tabs integrally formed in the collar, or the entire collar itself, are expanded within the sleeve to form corresponding anchoring pockets in the sleeve thereby mechanically interlocking the collar and sleeve. The coupling is adapted for use in coupling successive sections of thick-wall tubular pile or in coupling thin-wall tubular composite pile or thick-wall tubular pile. Use of the thin-wall tubular composite pile enables employment of a novel method for driving pile which eliminates the necessity for retaining a succeeding thick-wall tubular pile after the initial one is driven home.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,762,173

Marsh 1 1 Oct. 2, 1973 [54] PILE COUPLING AND METHOD OF PILE 3,412,56511/1968 Lindsey et al. 6l/53.5

DRIVING [76] Inventor: Richard O. Marsh, 701 Standard 522:? i g g giiifg gsggs Life Bldg, Pittsburgh, Pa. 15222 y [22] Filed: June 3, 197157 ABSTRACT [211 App]. No.: 149,619 The specification discloses novelmeans for coupling sections of pile and a novel method of driving pileuti- 1521 Us (:1 61/53, 29/523, 61/53.5, mm P' when The C0up11ngcomprises a thin-wall sleeve with a telescoping thickwall ring or collarmechanically anchored within the sleeve, Tabs integrally formed in thecollar, or the entire collar itself, are expanded within the sleeve toform corresponding anchoring pockets in the sleeve thereby mechanicallyinterlocking the collar and sleeve. The coupling is adapted for use incoupling successive sections of thick-wall tubular pile or in couplingthin-wall tubular composite pile or thick-wall tubular pile. Use of thethin-wall tubular composite pile enables employment of a novel methodfor driving pile which elimi' nates the necessity for retaining asucceeding thick-wall tubular pile after the initial one is driven home.

10 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures [51] Int. Cl. E02d 5/28, E02d 7/28, F16113 /14 [58] Field of Search 61/53.5, 53, 53.7, 61/53.68, 46.5; 29/523,521, 513', 285/3824, 382.7, 398, 331, 383

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,762,766 6/1930 De Garay285/331 1,219,183 3/1917 St. James 285/398 3,197,967 8/1965 Corfield(11/5368 3,326,006 6/1967 Mount v 61/53 3,555,831 1/1971 Pogonowski.61/46.5 3,540,224 11/1970 Pogonowski 61/46 m H11' 17 l} 16 PATENTED 'ZHH SHEET 2 OF 2 Fig. 8

I II|H Fig.9

Fig. 5

Fig. I0

FILE COUPLING AND METHOD OF PILE DRIVING This invention relates to novelmeans for mechanically coupling sections of pile. The coupling meansalso optionally forms part of a composite thin-wall pile, utilizable todrive a preceding thick-wall tubular pile to deeper ground penetration.Use of the composite thinwall pile enables a novel method for drivingpile wherein a part of the composite thin-wall pile performs the dualfunctions of a mandrel and of pile itself.

In driving steel pile of the tubular type, successive sections arecommonly welded together on the job site to hold the sections inalignment as the uppermost end of the initial pile penetrates to belowground level. This welding operation must be carefully performed byskilled operators and considerable expense, as well as loss of time dueto the time required for the welding, is thereby incurred.

The conventional method of pile driving requires that the tubular pilebe of relatively thick-wall construction in order to withstand, withlittle or no distortion, the forces resulting from the driving orhammering impacts. Thus, where successive sections of pile are weldedtogether, the entire column of pile comprises thick-wall tubular pile.It would be desirable from a cost and weight standpoint if only theinitial pile driven into the ground would be required to be ofthick-wall construction for the thin-wall pile is entirely adequate as acasing for receiving concrete, cement or other aggregate. However,thin-wall tubular pile is not capable of withstanding, withoutdistortion, the hammering forces required to drive a thick-wall pile todeeper ground penetration.

In the conventional method of pile driving, transportation of thick-walltubular pile becomes an item of expense because of the weight of pileinvolved as well as the fact that the pile cannot be nested, space beingrequired for each individual pile.

It is the purpose of the invention to provide anovel coupling means fortubular pile which avoids the difficulties and disadvantages heretoforeexperienced and which, at the same time, enables driving a pile by anovel method having certain advantages over present practice.

More particularly, I propose to provide a novel mechanical couplingmeans for sections of tubular pile, in which a tubular sleeve telescopesover the adjacent end of two pile sections and contains internallythereof a collar expanded in part or in entirety to form interlockingpockets in the sleeve. I further propose to provide a compositethin-wall section, embodying the novel coupling means, wherein athick-wall section of pile is nested in a thin-wall pile section.

I also propose to provide a novel method for driving pile in which thenested pile of the composite pile section is first used as a mandrel bywhich to apply hammer blow impacts on the pile in the ground, throughthe driving collar, and secondly is removed from the composite pile andused as a pile section for initial ground placement.

The invention is described hereinafter in detail in relation to theaccompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational sectional view, showing fragmentarily, atubular pile shell of thick gauge metal driven substantially full lengthinto the ground,

FIG. 2 is an elevational sectional view, showing a composite piletelescopically superposed on the pile in FIG. I, in readinessforth'e'im'pactiof driving blows on the internally nested pile of thickgauge metal,

FIG. 3 is an elevational sectional view, showing. the compositethin-wall pile driven full lngth into the ground, the nested pile of.th'e-thickgauge metal removed therefrom, and aggregate fillingtheinterior of the pile,

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken onthe line IV--IV of FIG. 2,showing the manner in which the collar and outer thin shell of thecomposite pileare interlocked,

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are views, on enlarged scale, of modified forms ofcollars which may be substituted. for the collar shown in FIGS. 2 and'3,

FIGS; 8 and 9 are fragm'ental sectional views, showing an additionalm'od'ified form of collar, respectively, (1) before being interlockedwith the outer shell and (2) after being expanded to be interlocked withthe outer shell, and,

FIG. 10 is an elevational view, in section, showing a variation of thecomposite thin shell pile in" FIG. 2',

.which is suited particularly as a coupling device for two sections ofhollow tubular pile shell of thick gauge metal.

Referring. to FIG. 1, a conventional metallic tubular or pipe pile 10having a boot plate 1 1 welded to the bottom end, is shown as drivensubstantially full length into the ground and leaving. a customary topend portion projecting above ground level at 12.

In FIG. 2, there is additionally shownanembodiment of my novel compositethin shell pile 13 as telescopically superposed on the projecting end ofthe pile 10. The thin shell pile 13' comprises an outer pile shell 1'4of thin gauge metal, a metallic drive ring or collar 15 of thick gaugemetal telescopically inserted within pile 1 4 and mechanicallyinterlocked therewith as more fully described hereinafter, and a tubularpile 10', similar to pile 10, nested within thin-wall pile l4, andresting on the collar 15.

Collar 15' is an annulus of relatively short axial length, the wallthickness or gauge of which is at least equal to but which may begreater than that of the tubular piles 10 and 10'. The outer diameter ofcollar 15 is slightly less than the inner diameter of the thin-wall pile14 to allow the collar to be slidingly inserted into one end of pile 14to a position where it is desired to anchor it. The collar 15, as shown,has two diametrically located tabs 16 punched or otherwise partiallysevered on three sides from the wall of the collar. After the collar ispositioned in the pile 14, the pile is placed in a suitable chucksurrounding the collar, and by means of suitable power cylinder meansthe severed tabs 16 are expanded outwardly, thereby simtultaneouslyoutwardly expanding the thin-wall pile l4 and providing, automaticallycorresponding pockets 17 in the pile in which the tabs 16 areinterlockingly anchored.

Variant forms of metallic rings or collars 15a, 15b, 15c shown in FIGS.5, 6 and 7, respectively, may be provided in substitution for collar 15.Collar 15a has four tabs 16a and collar 15b has eight tabs 16b. Collar15c illustrates the manner in which tabs [60 may be formed simply bymaking two parallel slits or saw-cuts axially in the wall from one endthereof.

Though the collar 15c is shown as having four tabs 16c spaced apartapproximately the number and spacing of the tabs may be altered asdesired to provide the desired interlocking strength.

With the composite thin shell pile 13 installed telescopically over theupper projecting end of pile 10 in FIG. 2, the upper end of the nestedpile 10' projects slightly above the upper end of outer thin-wall pile14. It will be seen, therefore, that thick-wall pile l and thin-wallpile 14 are of substantially equivalent length and may be readilytransported in nested condition together to the job site for use there.In view of the saving of space accomplished by nesting the piles, aconsiderable saving in transportation expense is accomplished thereby.

Since the pile projects above the outer thin-wall pile 14, the lattersustains no distorting stress due to blows delivered to the upper end ofthe pile 10' by the hammer of the pile drum, all forces beingtransmitted from pile 10 via the collar to the upper end of the pile 10.As the pile descends further into the ground with successive hammerblows on pile 10, the composite pile members of course follow pile 10into the ground. When the top end of the outer thin-wall pile 14approaches closely to the ground level at 12 as shown in FIG. 3, thepile 10' may be raised telescopically out of the outer thin-wall pile l4and then utilized as the pile 10 was utilized, namely as the initialground penetrating pile at another location.

Upon removal of pile 10' from composite pile 13, the outer thin-wallpile 14 remains in the ground connected to pile 10 to form a continuouscasing from ground level to the bottom of pile 10 within which concrete,cement or other aggregate fill may then be deposited, as indicated inFIG. 3.

It will thus be seen that by providing a composite pile, the thick-wallpile component of which is used in a dual capacity, transportation spaceis conserved and transportation expense correspondingly lowered becauseof the nesting of the thick-wall pile component and the outer thin-wallcomponent.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, a variant form of drive ring or collar 15dis shown. Like the other collars 15, 15a, 15b and 15c, collar 15dinitially has an outer diameter which is slightly less than the innerdiameter of the outer thin-wall pile 14'. However, as distinct from theother forms, collar 15d does not have any tabs corresponding to tabs 16.When it is desired to anchor collar 15d in pile 14', collar 15d isslidably positioned within pile 14 at the desired location, adjacent oneend of pile 14. Then the assembly is placed in a chuck which surroundsthe pile 14' on opposite sides of the collar 15d. The metallic collar15d in a cold state is then expanded circumferentially by any suitablepower means, thereby correspondingly and uniformly expanding the outerthin-wall pile shell 14' circumferentially to a larger diameter. Thereis thus formed within the enlarged diameter portion of pile 14' acircumferential recess 18 within which the collar 15d is interlocked. Asin the previous embodiments, the bottom plate 11" of the nestedthick-wall pile I0" rests on the upper end of collar 15d, and collar 15dtransmits haminer blows from pile 10 to pile 10 via collar 15d. which isretained in aligned position by the thin-wall outer pile 14'.

Referring to FIG. 10, there is shown an assembly utilizing the novelcoupling means solely for the coupling two sectons of thick-wall tubularpile 20 together. In this assembly the coupling means comprises an outermetallic sleeve 21 of thin gauge metal and of relatively short lengthcompared to the length of the pile l4, and a metallic collar 22illustratively shown as corresponding in form to collar 15a shown inFIG. 5. Alternatively, any of the other forms of collars heretoforedescribed may be employed in lieu of that shown. The sleeve 21 andcollar 22 are assembled in the same manner that the previously describedcollars are assembled in the thin-wall pile 14, namely supporting thesleeve 21 in a chuck and then expanding the tabs 23 to correspondinglyexpand the sleeve wall to form recesses 24 within which the tabs arelocked.

In this case, the coupling means is first placed telescopically over theexposed upper end of the lower pile 20, after it is driven sufficientlyinto the ground, until the collar 22 rests on the top end of the lowerpile. It will be understood that pile 20, like pile 10, has a boot plate(not shown) at the lower end thereof. Then the upper pile 20 is insertedtelescopically in the upper end of the sleeve 21 until the lower end ofthe upper pile 20 rests on the upper end of the collar 22. It will beunderstood that pile 20 differs from pile 20 in that it does not have aboot plate at the lower end thereof. The upper pile 20' is now ready forapplication of hammer blows to the top end of the pile to apply adriving force to the lower pile 20 via collar 22. In this instance, ofcourse, the upper pile 20' forms the upper section of the casing,including lower pile 20, into which concrete, cement or other aggregateis subsequently poured.

While specific forms of pile coupling means and the method of usethereof have been shown and described herein, it will be apparent thatvariations thereof are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The method of driving tubular pile of the type having a first sectionformed of relatively heavy gauge metal and a second section formed ofrelatively thin gauge metal comprising the steps of:

a. driving the first section of pile into the ground until only aportion thereof projects above the ground,

b. placing over the projecting end of the first section the lower end ofthe second section including a heavy gauge collar means mechanicallyengaged with the lower portion of the second section and disposed inalignment with the upper end of the first section,

c. inserting a third pile section comprising heavy gauge piling withinthe thin-walled section and resting the same upon the collar means withits end projecting above the thin-walled piling driving the compositepiling including said first and second sections further into the groundby applying hammer blows to the projecting end of the third pile sectionand thereby transmitting them to the collar means, and removing thethird pile section when the composite piling is fully driven.

2. The method of driving tubular pile of the type having a first sectionof relatively heavy gauge metal and a second section of relatively thingauge metal, comprising the steps of: I

a. driving the first section of pile into the ground until a smallportion only projects above the ground,

b. attaching a collar of relatively heavy gauge metal within the secondsection of pile,

c. telescopically disposing within the second section of pile a thirdsection of heavy gauge tubular pile of a length to project out of saidsecond section,

d. telescopically disposing the second section of pile,

with the third section of pile therein, over the projecting upper end ofthe first section of pile until supported thereon by said collar, and

e. applying hammer blows to the projecting top end of the third sectionof pile to drive the first and second section of pile further into theground.

3. The method of driving a tubular pile according to claim 2, furthercomprising the additional steps of:

a. removing the third section of pile, and

b. depositing an aggregate fill into the casing formed by said first andsecond sections of pile.

4. The method of driving tubular pile according to claim 2, furthercomprising the additional steps of:

a. removing the third section of pile, and

b. utilizing the third section of pile as the first section of pile atanother location.

5. Composite pile apparatus comprising a tubular pile shell intended toserve as an extension of a pile driven into the ground, said shell beingoflight gauge and lacking strength to receive and transmit pile drivinghammer blows without distortion, a drive collar positionedconcentrically with the pile shell and intermediate its ends, said pileshell and drive collar having distorted sections, the distorted sectionsof the shell and collar being in juxtaposition and cooperativelyengaging to form locking means between the pile shell and the drivecollar, an upwardly facing driving surface upon the drive collar, saiddriving surface being unobstructed by the pile shell above the drivingsurface and said collar being adapted to rest upon the pile driven intothe ground when the pile shell is fitted over said pile whereby a secondtubular member having sufficient strength to receive and transmit hammerblows may be telescoped with the upper section of the pile shell andhammer blows delivered to the second tubular member will be transmittedto the drive collar and by it to pile driven into the ground withouttransmission of forces through the pile shell.

6. Composite pile apparatus comprising an outer tubular pile shell ofrelatively thin gauge metal, a rigid drive collar positionedconcentrically within the pile shell, means mechanically interlockingsaid collar within said thin gauge tubular pile shell comprising pocketmeans on said thin gauge tubular pile shell and tab elements on saidcollar expanded outwardly into said pocket means, a tubular pile memberof relatively heavy gauge metal telescopically disposed within said thingauge tubular pile shell and serving to transmit driving impacts viasaid collar to a tubular pile over which said thin gauge tubular pileshell is telescopically disposed, said tubular pile member of heavygauge metal being adapted to be removed when said outer tubular pileshell of thin gauge metal is driven to appropriate depth in the ground.

7. Pile coupling apparatus comprising a sleeve member of relatively thingauge metal adapted to be positioned in telescopic relation to the upperexposed end of a driven tubular pile, and a rigid collar of relativelyheavy gauge metal concentrically secured to said sleeve member, saidcollar having tab portions partially severed from the wall thereofwhich, when displaced out of the contour of the wall of said collar,form pockets in said sleeve with which the tab portions becomeinterlocked, said collar being adapted to seat on the upper exposed endof the driven tubular pile and to sustain the impact of blows wherebythe sleeve member is driven coincidentally with the driven pile.

8. Pile coupling apparatus for coupling a tubular pile shell ofrelatively heavy gauge metal in coaxial superposed relation to a similartubular pile shell of relatively heavy gauge metal already driven, saidcoupling apparatus comprising a sleeve member of relatively thin gaugemetal disposed in telescopic relation to the upper exposed end of thedriven pile shell, and a separately formed collar of relatively heavygauge metal mechanically interlocked in concentric relation with saidsleeve member for supporting said coupling on the upper end of thedriven pile shell, the tubular pile shell to be coupled to the drivenpile shell being disposed in telescopic relation to said sleeve memberand contacting said collar, whereby the impact of blows on the upper endthereof is transmitted via said collar to the already driven pile shell.

9. Pile coupling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the wall ofsaid sleeve member is formed with an annular recess by deformation ofsaid collar thereinto.

10. Pile coupling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the wall ofsaid sleeve member is formed with an annular recess internally thereofby expansion of said collar thereinto.

1. The method of driving tubular pile of the type having a first sectionformed of relatively heavy gauge metal and a second section formed ofrelatively thin gauge metal comprising the steps of: a. driving thefirst section of pile into the ground until only a portion thereofprojects above the ground, b. placing over the projecting end of thefirst section the lower end of the second section including a heavygauge collar means mechanically engaged with the lower portion of thesecond section and disposed in alignment with the upper end of the firstsection, c. inserting a third pile section comprising heavy gauge pilingwithin the thin-walled section and resting the same upon the collarmeans with its end projecting above the thin-walled piling d. drivingthe composite piling including said first and second sections furtherinto the ground by applying hammer blows to the projecting end of thethird pile section and thereby transmitting them to the collar means,and e. removing the third pile section when the composite piling isfully driven.
 2. The method of driving tubular pile of the type having afirst section of relatively heavy gauge metal and a second section ofrelatively thin gauge metal, comprising the steps of: a. driving thefirst section of pile into the ground until a small portion onlyprojects above the ground, b. attaching a collar of relatively heavygauge metal within the second section of pile, c. telescopicallydisposing within the second section of pile a third section of heavygauge tubular pile of a length to project out of said second section, d.telescopically disposing the second section of pile, with the thirdsection of pile therein, over the projecting upper end of the firstsection of pile until supported thereon by said collar, and e. applyinghammer blows to the projecting top end of the third section of pile todrive the first and second section of pile further into the ground. 3.The method of driving a tubular pile according to claim 2, furthercomprising the additional steps of: a. removing the third section ofpIle, and b. depositing an aggregate fill into the casing formed by saidfirst and second sections of pile.
 4. The method of driving tubular pileaccording to claim 2, further comprising the additional steps of: a.removing the third section of pile, and b. utilizing the third sectionof pile as the first section of pile at another location.
 5. Compositepile apparatus comprising a tubular pile shell intended to serve as anextension of a pile driven into the ground, said shell being of lightgauge and lacking strength to receive and transmit pile driving hammerblows without distortion, a drive collar positioned concentrically withthe pile shell and intermediate its ends, said pile shell and drivecollar having distorted sections, the distorted sections of the shelland collar being in juxtaposition and cooperatively engaging to formlocking means between the pile shell and the drive collar, an upwardlyfacing driving surface upon the drive collar, said driving surface beingunobstructed by the pile shell above the driving surface and said collarbeing adapted to rest upon the pile driven into the ground when the pileshell is fitted over said pile whereby a second tubular member havingsufficient strength to receive and transmit hammer blows may betelescoped with the upper section of the pile shell and hammer blowsdelivered to the second tubular member will be transmitted to the drivecollar and by it to pile driven into the ground without transmission offorces through the pile shell.
 6. Composite pile apparatus comprising anouter tubular pile shell of relatively thin gauge metal, a rigid drivecollar positioned concentrically within the pile shell, meansmechanically interlocking said collar within said thin gauge tubularpile shell comprising pocket means on said thin gauge tubular pile shelland tab elements on said collar expanded outwardly into said pocketmeans, a tubular pile member of relatively heavy gauge metaltelescopically disposed within said thin gauge tubular pile shell andserving to transmit driving impacts via said collar to a tubular pileover which said thin gauge tubular pile shell is telescopicallydisposed, said tubular pile member of heavy gauge metal being adapted tobe removed when said outer tubular pile shell of thin gauge metal isdriven to appropriate depth in the ground.
 7. Pile coupling apparatuscomprising a sleeve member of relatively thin gauge metal adapted to bepositioned in telescopic relation to the upper exposed end of a driventubular pile, and a rigid collar of relatively heavy gauge metalconcentrically secured to said sleeve member, said collar having tabportions partially severed from the wall thereof which, when displacedout of the contour of the wall of said collar, form pockets in saidsleeve with which the tab portions become interlocked, said collar beingadapted to seat on the upper exposed end of the driven tubular pile andto sustain the impact of blows whereby the sleeve member is drivencoincidentally with the driven pile.
 8. Pile coupling apparatus forcoupling a tubular pile shell of relatively heavy gauge metal in coaxialsuperposed relation to a similar tubular pile shell of relatively heavygauge metal already driven, said coupling apparatus comprising a sleevemember of relatively thin gauge metal disposed in telescopic relation tothe upper exposed end of the driven pile shell, and a separately formedcollar of relatively heavy gauge metal mechanically interlocked inconcentric relation with said sleeve member for supporting said couplingon the upper end of the driven pile shell, the tubular pile shell to becoupled to the driven pile shell being disposed in telescopic relationto said sleeve member and contacting said collar, whereby the impact ofblows on the upper end thereof is transmitted via said collar to thealready driven pile shell.
 9. Pile coupling apparatus according to claim8, wherein the wall of said sleeve member is formed with an annularrecess by deformation of said collar thereinto.
 10. Pile couplingapparatus according to claim 8, wherein the wall of said sleeve memberis formed with an annular recess internally thereof by expansion of saidcollar thereinto.